Learning Technologies which further the goals

of Environmental Education

Anna SwitzerUniversity of Michigan

Pre-candidate in Science Education

My backgroundMy background B.A. in Physics Taught high school

Physics and Math Instructed Outward Bound

courses in NC Mountains, FL Everglades, and Mexico

M.S. in Marine Science Taught on board

oceanography school-ship program

Taught 6th graders in museum program focused on water quality

Taught college-level Earth Science

B.A. in Physics Taught high school

Physics and Math Instructed Outward Bound

courses in NC Mountains, FL Everglades, and Mexico

M.S. in Marine Science Taught on board

oceanography school-ship program

Taught 6th graders in museum program focused on water quality

Taught college-level Earth Science

My goalMy goal

To see EE more mainstreamed in schools

However, ‘no tragedies before the 6th grade’…. (Sobel, 1995)right lessons at the right times:

age 3-7: develop empathyage 7-11: explorationage 11-up: social action

To see EE more mainstreamed in schools

However, ‘no tragedies before the 6th grade’…. (Sobel, 1995)right lessons at the right times:

age 3-7: develop empathyage 7-11: explorationage 11-up: social action

EE in Schools is critical EE in Schools is critical

Ideally, children will be exposed early and often to the natural world

However, with less time spent outside (e.g. Nature Deficit Disorder), we need to take advantage of other learning opportunities

Schools are one place where kids pick up on important aspects of the ‘culture’

Ideally, children will be exposed early and often to the natural world

However, with less time spent outside (e.g. Nature Deficit Disorder), we need to take advantage of other learning opportunities

Schools are one place where kids pick up on important aspects of the ‘culture’

Introducing :Introducing :

Project FLOW (Fisheries Learning on the Web)

Model-It (as part of curricula from hi-ce, UofM)

Worldwatcher (as part of curriculum from Northwestern)

Making Thinking Visible (might exist someday)

Project FLOW (Fisheries Learning on the Web)

Model-It (as part of curricula from hi-ce, UofM)

Worldwatcher (as part of curriculum from Northwestern)

Making Thinking Visible (might exist someday)

Project FLOWProject FLOW

Designed by Michigan Sea Grant College Program

15 lessons on wwwFor 4th-8th gradeFocused on Great Lakes Each lesson aligned with state and

national standards/benchmarksAssessment suggestions provided

Designed by Michigan Sea Grant College Program

15 lessons on wwwFor 4th-8th gradeFocused on Great Lakes Each lesson aligned with state and

national standards/benchmarksAssessment suggestions provided

What do classroom teachers need to be successful in bringing environmental education into the classroom?

Lessons can be used independently, but build upon each other if used in sequence.

Enhance existing content (inquiry-based lessons -) rather than creating new materials

Concept Development :Concept Development :

Three primary units -

covering 3 of 12 critical areas of need as identified

by the Great Lakes

Fisheries Trust:

Three primary units -

covering 3 of 12 critical areas of need as identified

by the Great Lakes

Fisheries Trust:

Introduced species (Food Web)

Fisheries and Sustainability (Water)

Fisheries and Stewardship (Fish)

Standards and Benchmarks

Standards and Benchmarks

Relevant sections from educational publications were combed for applicable science and social studies content standards, benchmarks and guidelines, including: Michigan Curriculum Framework National Science Education

Standards American Association for the

Advancement of Science North American Association of

Environmental Education National Council for the Social

Studies

Standards and Benchmarks Example

Standards and Benchmarks Example

C4 - 1, from NSES

(National Science Education Standards)A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem.

Suggestions for Assessment provided

Suggestions for Assessment provided

We recommend more points for questions which require thinking

higher on the pyramid

(Bloom’s taxonomy)

Learning Objective. Example: describe the difference

between herbivores, carnivores, and producers.

Student Performance. Example: Define herbivore, carnivore and producer.Recommended Points. Example: 1 point for each

definition above (herbivore, carnivore and producer).

FLOW SummaryFLOW Summary

Expected Outcomes and Impacts:

More teachers will have access to high-quality Great Lakes educational materials for use with their students.

By aligning these materials with national and state standards teachers will be able to more easily incorporate aquatic science material into their existing science curriculum.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts:

More teachers will have access to high-quality Great Lakes educational materials for use with their students.

By aligning these materials with national and state standards teachers will be able to more easily incorporate aquatic science material into their existing science curriculum.

Model-ItModel-It

Designed by education researchers/specialists at U of Michigan

Comes in several flavors to match middle-school science curricula

Helps students construct understandingDesigned specifically for learners who

are unfamiliar with dynamic modeling and lack mathematical or symbol manipulation skills

Designed by education researchers/specialists at U of Michigan

Comes in several flavors to match middle-school science curricula

Helps students construct understandingDesigned specifically for learners who

are unfamiliar with dynamic modeling and lack mathematical or symbol manipulation skills

Generally, students have unrelated tid-bits of

knowledge

Generally, students have unrelated tid-bits of

knowledge

watershed

fish

pollution

Water in the faucet

health

Deep and useful understanding requires that

ideas are linked together

Deep and useful understanding requires that

ideas are linked together

Watershed

pollutionfish

water in the faucet

cities

farms

plants

wetlands

rivers

lakes

people

health

With Model-It With Model-It

Students Build Dynamic Qualitative Models to help answer the driving questions:What is the Quality of Water in Our

River?What Affects the Quality of Air in My

Community? How Can Good Friends Make You Sick?

Students Build Dynamic Qualitative Models to help answer the driving questions:What is the Quality of Water in Our

River?What Affects the Quality of Air in My

Community? How Can Good Friends Make You Sick?

Value of Building Dynamic Models

Value of Building Dynamic Models

Cognitive toolOpportunities for students to engage in

authentic scientific practicesAllows students to build models of scientific

phenomena – a common tool of the tradeActive Construction of Understanding

Externalization of their thinkingShow ComplexityMake explanations, predictions, tests and

refinementsMake links between relationships

Cognitive toolOpportunities for students to engage in

authentic scientific practicesAllows students to build models of scientific

phenomena – a common tool of the tradeActive Construction of Understanding

Externalization of their thinkingShow ComplexityMake explanations, predictions, tests and

refinementsMake links between relationships

Models consist of:Models consist of:

-objects - “things” in the system being modeled,

-variables - measurable attributes of objects, and

-relationships between variables.

-objects - “things” in the system being modeled,

-variables - measurable attributes of objects, and

-relationships between variables.

Students PLAN, Students PLAN,

BUILD,BUILD,

and TEST:and TEST:

Analysis:Analysis:

Does the model work as you thought it would?

Does the relationship you observed make sense?

How do the parts of a watershed affect one another?

Does the model help you answer the driving question?

Does the model work as you thought it would?

Does the relationship you observed make sense?

How do the parts of a watershed affect one another?

Does the model help you answer the driving question?

Adding complexityAdding complexity

WorldwatcherWorldwatcher Developed at Northwestern University

Part of Investigations in Environmental Science: A Case-Based Approach to the Study of Environmental Systems (year long for high school)

Cases all based on the conflict between growing human population and decreasing natural resources

Based on Learning for Use Model Motivate Construct orgranize

Developed at Northwestern University

Part of Investigations in Environmental Science: A Case-Based Approach to the Study of Environmental Systems (year long for high school)

Cases all based on the conflict between growing human population and decreasing natural resources

Based on Learning for Use Model Motivate Construct orgranize

Scope and Sequence:Scope and Sequence:

Three major unitsLand-Use (8 weeks)Energy Generation (12 weeks)Water Resources (12 weeks)

One open-ended unitInvestigating the Local Environment

(4 weeks interspersed)

Three major unitsLand-Use (8 weeks)Energy Generation (12 weeks)Water Resources (12 weeks)

One open-ended unitInvestigating the Local Environment

(4 weeks interspersed)

Role of TechnologyRole of TechnologyVisualize and

Analyze Real-world Data (Arcview – GIS)

Visualize and Analyze Real-world Data (Arcview – GIS)

Simulation of complex processes

Simulation of complex processes

ActivityActivity Surface Temperatures

Surface Temperatures

Live demonstration with Worldwatcher………

Environmental Decision Making

Environmental Decision Making

Help students understand the role of scientific evidence in decision-making and systematically integrate evidence and values in environmental decisions.

The process:1.Identify constraints 2.Identify considerations3.Map consequences 4.Identify stakeholders and effects5.Weighting (values)/Trade-offs

Help students understand the role of scientific evidence in decision-making and systematically integrate evidence and values in environmental decisions.

The process:1.Identify constraints 2.Identify considerations3.Map consequences 4.Identify stakeholders and effects5.Weighting (values)/Trade-offs

Strengths of IESStrengths of IES

Ambitious cross-disciplinary contentCase-based context that engages

studentsData analysisTechnologyDecision-making Support for teacher learning and

development

Ambitious cross-disciplinary contentCase-based context that engages

studentsData analysisTechnologyDecision-making Support for teacher learning and

development

Making Thinking VisibleMaking Thinking Visible

Doesn’t actually existCombines technology andConcept mappingSo that students thinking about

complex issues will be made visible to the students and to the teachers in a timely manner

Doesn’t actually existCombines technology andConcept mappingSo that students thinking about

complex issues will be made visible to the students and to the teachers in a timely manner

Complex Mixture of Domains (Science, Economics, Politics, Values)

No ‘right’ answer

It would be powerful to understand how students bring these domains together

Complex Mixture of Domains (Science, Economics, Politics, Values)

No ‘right’ answer

It would be powerful to understand how students bring these domains together

Environmental Decision Making

Environmental Decision Making

Can do so using Conceptual Cognitive Concept

Mapping (3CM) (Kearney and Kaplan, 1997)

Can do so using Conceptual Cognitive Concept

Mapping (3CM) (Kearney and Kaplan, 1997)

Assumed to both model external environments and provide the foundation for much of human thought (Kearney, 1997)

Allows for exploration of a topic in the process of externalizing one’s perspective

But, very time intensive process….

Assumed to both model external environments and provide the foundation for much of human thought (Kearney, 1997)

Allows for exploration of a topic in the process of externalizing one’s perspective

But, very time intensive process….

farms

cities

fish

health

lakes

mountains

plants

rivers

wetlands

pollution

recreation

people

waterfaucet

Run-off

cars

animals

WORD MENU

This is the active space for creating concept maps about a topic.

WORD MENU

This person has begun to group the terms by ‘clicking’ and dragging them into the active space

farms

citiesfish

health

lakes

mountains

plants

rivers

wetlands

pollution

recreation

people

waterfaucet

Run-off

cars

animals

WORD MENU

Grouping of all terms is now complete – though a person does not have to use all terms provided

farms

cities

fish

health

lakes

mountains

plants

rivers

wetlands

pollution

recreation

people

waterfaucet

Run-off

cars

animals

WORD MENU

Labeling of the groups

cities

fish

health

plants

pollution

recreation

people

waterfaucet

Run-off

cars

animals

lakes rivers

mountains

wetlands

farms

Other Living ThingsParts of watershed

Human concerns

Problems

WORD MENUNow the groups are placed in relation to one another and the strength of the relationship indicated by the width of the connector

Human Concerns

Watershed

Other Living Things Problems

Term Term # #001 #002 #003 #004 #005 #006 #007 #008 #009 #010

access 1 1 8 2 2 4 3 5 6 3 adapt 2 1 4 4 4 6 anonymous 3 1 5 7 argument 4 5 1 4 1 7 1 7 assessment 5 4 1 2 3 5 7 2,5 6 calculator 6 6 6 3 2 2 collaboration 7 2,7 1 1 1 5 1,7 4 6 communication 8 1 7 1 3 1 5 7 7 computer 9 6 6 3 3 2 3 1 2 constraints 10 9 2 4 4 4 crutch 11 2 5 3 4 3 7 curriculum 12 4 2 2 2 4 6 4 6 data analysis 13 5 1 4 1 5 7 1 7

Behind the scenes, an excel file is being created to compile everyone’s data.

Behind the scenes, an excel file is being created to compile everyone’s data.

From everyone’s data, a correlation matrix is calculated From everyone’s data, a correlation matrix is calculated 0.82

0.00 0.55

0.00 0.00 0.36

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.64

0.18 0.18 0.00 0.09 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.27 0.27 0.00 0.91

0.09 0.09 0.27 0.36 0.36 0.00 0.45 1.09

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.73

0.09 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45

0.09 0.09 0.18 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.55

0.27 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.36 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.82

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.64 0.18 0.00 0.36 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.73

0.00 0.00 0.18 0.55 0.27 0.00 0.36 0.55 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.64 0.73

0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.73

0.64 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.73

0.00 0.09 0.09 0.36 0.18 0.00 0.27 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.45 0.45 0.18 0.00 0.73

0.00 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.64

0.00 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.18 0.00 0.09 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.27 0.09 0.45

0.82

0.00 0.55

0.00 0.00 0.36

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.64

0.18 0.18 0.00 0.09 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.27 0.27 0.00 0.91

0.09 0.09 0.27 0.36 0.36 0.00 0.45 1.09

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.73

0.09 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45

0.09 0.09 0.18 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.55

0.27 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.36 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.82

0.00 0.09 0.18 0.64 0.18 0.00 0.36 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.73

0.00 0.00 0.18 0.55 0.27 0.00 0.36 0.55 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.64 0.73

0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.73

0.64 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.73

0.00 0.09 0.09 0.36 0.18 0.00 0.27 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.45 0.45 0.18 0.00 0.73

0.00 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.64

0.00 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.18 0.00 0.09 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.18 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.27 0.09 0.45

Tight Loose

mountainsrivers

wetlands

animals

cars

pollutionRun-off

farmscities

lakes

fishplants

health

waterfaucetrecreation

people

Using this correlation matrix, SPSS can be used to do Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. One presentation of HCA is a ‘dendrogram’.

Why go ‘techno?Why go ‘techno?

“learning technologies expand the range of questions that can be investigated, the types of information that can be displayed, and the products that students can create to demonstrate their understandings” (Krajcik, et al, 2000)

Questions?Questions?

Contact InformationContact Information

switzera@umich.edu

www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/index.html

www.goknow.com

http://www.worldwatcher.northwestern.edu/

switzera@umich.edu

www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/index.html

www.goknow.com

http://www.worldwatcher.northwestern.edu/